In April 2008, in this hopeful period, VIX dropped below 20 after a prolonged growth.
Could it be the unreasoning and recklessness of investors in these times that turns up against them? Going long in periods of serious issues.
A little physics lesson, bear with me...
When you stand on a table, either completely still or trying to sit down slowly, the table can hold your weight.
If you jump, the force you exert on the table is double your weight (twice the force as when standing still). It is at that time when a weak table gives in.
Going long and over-leveraging is a means of "jumping". This behavior increases forces on the table (economy) and if the table (economy) is weak, it can give-in and break.
Economies don't break when they are strong, even if the leveraging is big, quite the opposite. It is like giving fuel to a runner, the more they can get the better.
When you run, you can slow down or pick up the pace. If for a single moment you stop, then you are in real danger.
If you pick up the pace too quick and too strongly, you can cause the foundation to fail. If you stay still, you just wait for the weakening to become worse, and risk jeopardizing future jumps. If the table breaks, well, then you reached the floor. You cannot (?) go below the floor. It is that time when the only way is up, wait for that time, whenever it comes.